Runaway Train
by MavenAlysse
Summary: pre-series Lucas story. darkish.


This is a "SeaQuest" fan fiction. I used the song "Runaway Train" by Soul Asylum as a springboard. I have no intention of making a profit off this and do not mean to step on any toes.

Song lyrics are in bold print.

Runaway Train  
>by: MavenAlysse<p>

**Call you up in the middle of the night**

With shaking fingers, Lucas dialed the familiar phone number.

**Like a firefly without a light**

'Please, oh please be home.'

**You were there like a blowtorch burning**

He sagged with relief as a sleepy, tousled hair young woman appeared on the screen.

"Hello?" Her blue eyes widened in surprise as she brushed blonde hair out of her face. "Lucas? What's wrong?"

**I was a key that could use a little turning.**

He swallowed painfully, aware of her gaze on his face, taking in the bruising he was sure had begun to appear. "I need some help."

"Tell me." Her gaze intensified as she focused on the young man.

**So tired that I couldn't even sleep**

The clock beside his computer glowed 3:42 a.m. in baleful red numbers. Lucas' lids felt heavy, but he knew sleep was many hours off.

**So many secrets I couldn't keep**

"I tried to stop him, Terry. But, he went and did it anyway. And then she came home. Tried to walk out on him when she found out about it. He went ballistic. I tried to stop him, but he threw me across the room. I was too far away." He took a deep breath, bracing himself. "She's dead."

**Promised myself I wouldn't weep**

Terry paled, her eyes staring at him in horror. "Oh, God. No."

Lucas felt his eyes fill with tears and he angrily dashed them away.

**One more promise I couldn't keep.**

"I couldn't stop him," he berated himself. "Even after I promised to look after her, I couldn't do a damn thing!"

Terry shook her head frantically. "Don't you dare blame yourself, Lucas. You hear me?" Her voice cracked as she tried to talk through her own tears. "I refuse to believe that you didn't do anything to try and save her or that there was anything you could of done. He's easily three times bigger than you, he would have killed you, too." She paused, running shaking hands through her hair. "Where are you now? Are you safe?"

**It seems no one can help me now**

"I took off. I'm somewhere downtown." He glanced around, then shrugged. "Not exactly sure where."

**I'm in too deep there's no way out**

"I don't know what to do. He'll find me eventually, and then…" he trailed off in horrified silence as he realized exactly what the man might do to him. He closed his eyes, his voice little more than a whisper. "I don't know what to do."

**This time I have really led myself astray.**

Terry took a breath, trying to calm down in order to calm Lucas. "You need to contact the police, Lucas."

**Runaway train never going back**

He jerked as if struck eyes wide with fright. "No! I - I can't."

**Wrong way on a one way track**

"Why?" Her voice was gentle, but confused.

**Seems like I should be getting somewhere**

"How do you think he got into the system to begin with?" he asked miserably.

**Somehow I'm neither here nor there.**

He saw understanding dawn in her crystal eyes, anger, sadness and concern flashed thorough in quick succession. "Come to my place."

"But…" he shook his head.

"He doesn't know about me." Determination firmed her voice. "He won't be able to find you. We'll work something out." At his hesitation she placed her palm against the screen in supplication. "Please?"

He nodded.

**Can you help me remember how to smile?**

Lucas arrived at his sister's apartment thirty minutes later, looking exhausted and bedraggled. She held him for what seemed like hours, the two crying themselves out.

**Make it somehow all seem worthwhile?**

"I swear to you, Lucas," she whispered. "We'll find a way to make him pay."

**How on Earth did I get so jaded?**

He merely shook his head, eyes darkening. "He's gotten away with so much in the past, why should now be any different?"

**Life's mystery seems so faded.**

Terry shook her head, biting her lip to keep from crying again. If only half of what she suspected were true… 'There isn't a deep enough hole for him to hide in.' Her fists tightened briefly, then she relaxed, focusing again on helping her brother.

**I can go where no one else can go**

The two sat in the living room, silently comforting each other. Suddenly, Lucas stood, a wry half smile gracing his features. "Got a place I can hook my computer up?" He tapped a finger on the battered machine.

"What are you up to?" she cocked an eyebrow in curiosity.

"You'll see."

**I know what no one else knows**

After a few moments of typing, Lucas leaned back with a satisfied smirk. "Found it."

"Found what?"

"Where I put all the evidence." His smile grew hard. "Last time he'll ever do this."

"What are you talking about?" Terry glanced sideways at the boy, uneasiness coloring her eyes a dark blue.

**Here I am just drowning in the rain**

"I've got proof. Proof of his thefts. He might get away with murder, he's good with manipulating the law." A scowl crossed his face, then he tapped the screen, "But he'll have a hard time explaining these to those he was working with." He turned the computer her way.

A slow, evil looking smile replaced the uneasiness as she saw what Lucas was up to. "Can you make it stick? Make sure he can't wiggle himself out of it somehow?"

**With a ticket for a runaway train**

A matching smile spread across his face in response.

**And everything is cut and dry,**

Lucas spent the next two hours typing, making sure that the evidence was iron-tight.

Terry watched silently for some time, but now spoke up quietly. "How did she die?" Terry brought up the subject tentatively, unsure of Lucas' reaction.

**Day and night, earth and sky**

At first, she wasn't sure he would answer. 

"He pushed her down the stairs when she confronted him. I heard her neck snap when she landed." His voice seemed very matter of fact, as if he was discussing a movie, or the weather, but Terry noticed the trembling that shook him.

**Somehow I just don't believe it.**

She wrapped her arms around him, trying to calm his shaking. "Do you think she could have survived the fall?"

"No," he whispered. "No."

**Runaway train never going back**

"I'll loop the information through the computer so that it registers in the police's system later on today."

"And the murder?" she glanced up from the information from the screen.

**Wrong way on a one way track**

"I don't know." Terry had to lean in to hear his soft admission. "I don't have any hard evidence. It'll be my word against his, and I've already experienced that."

She stared off into space for a moment, then asked slowly, "Didn't you mention something about a new security system that he'd installed a few months ago?"

"Yeah?"

"So, do you think any of the cameras caught it?"

**Seems like I should be getting somewhere**

Lucas blinked, then turned to his computer and began typing frantically.

**Somehow I'm neither here nor there.**

Terry jerked, startled, as Lucas began swearing vehemently moments later. "What's wrong?"

"They've been erased. He's already thought of them and got rid of the evidence." The boy furiously pounded his fist on the desk, his frustration evident.

**Bought a ticket for a runaway train**

With a touch, Terry stilled him. "Don't give up so easy. What about the back ups?"

**Like a madman laughing at the rain**

He stared at her as if she were mad. "Back ups?"

"Yes. If the security system is worth anything, then there are always back ups made of the tapes, precisely in case of this type of situation; the robber trying to erase the evidence of his crime. Hack into the system offices and I'll bet you'll be able to locate the copied files."

**Little out of touch, little insane**

A spark gleamed in his eyes as he processed her suggestion. "You are a genius." He kissed her cheek and grinned.

**Just easier than dealing with the pain.**

Visibly pushing aside his previous outburst, the boy focused intently on his computer, fingers flying. His thoughts kept trying to return to what had occurred, but he resolutely tucked them away, he'd deal with the memories later. Right now he didn't care about anything but locating those files. 

"Yes."

"You found them?" Terry looked over his shoulder.

"I found them."

"Now what?"

"Now they go to the police, and, hopefully, they'll arrest him."

Terry clasped Lucas on the shoulder.

**Runaway train never going back**

That night, Lucas tossed restlessly in his bed, dreams tormenting him. 

~ The large form filled the doorway, blocking any escape. "You'll get me into those files, and you'll do it right now, or I'll make sure you pay for it, you little punk!" 

The boy was dragged out of bed and down the hallway. "But, it isn't right!" 

He gasped as a meaty hand sharply struck the side of his head, making his ears ring. "Don't talk back to me, boy. Just do what I said. Open the accounts and transfer those files." 

When the man raised his hand again, the boy threw his hands over his head, "No! I'll do it." 

"Damn straight, you will." He motioned towards the computer. "Get to it!" ~

**Wrong way on a one way track**

Lucas let out a soft moan as the nightmare continued, unaware as Terry slid into the room to calm him. 

~ The boy found the correct files with frightening ease. His fingers danced across the board. About to press the send key, he paused. Eyes filled with trepidation, he tried once more to bring the man to his senses. "You don't need to do this. It's not like we need the money or anything."

He was awarded with another blow; this one much harder, causing sparks to darken his vision. "I wasn't aware that I had asked you, brat. Now do it!"

Stifling a sob, the boy nodded and pressed the correct keys. "Done."

"Good. Now close it down, we don't want anyone knowing what we've done."

In an act of defiance that he knew he would pay for, the boy entered a series of commands into the computer.

"What are you doing?" The man's face reddened as he watched the information vanish from the screen. "What the hell did you do?" He grasped the boy's shirt into one large fist and lifted the boy clean off his chair. "What did you do?" He shook the boy, his free hand balling into a fist, cocked ready to strike. ~

**Seems like I should be getting somewhere**

Terry tenderly brushed the hair out of Lucas' face. His eyes darted frantically beneath their lids, his breathing fast and shallow. Low tortured moans emanated from his throat, but he wouldn't wake, and all Terry could do was hold him, and hope he could take comfort from that.

~ "I - I sent it away." The boy cringed bracing himself for the blow he knew was coming. He wasn't disappointed, the large fist smashed into his jaw, snapping his head violently to the left.

He felt himself shoved up against the wall. "Where did you sent it?" Each word was emphasized with a solid thud as the man slammed him against the wall.

"J - just away." It was getting harder to think, his head ached horribly.

The man's voice lowered dangerously. "Bring it back."

"C - can't." 'Won't,' he thought to himself.

The man roared and buried his fist into the boy's abdomen. ~

**Somehow I'm neither here nor there.**

Lucas shuddered in Terry's arms, tears falling thick and fast. Terry wrapped her arms around him and rocked back and forth, her own heart breaking.

~ The boy sucked in a breath, desperately trying to keep from vomiting. The man punched him again, and this time, the boy couldn't help it. With a violent heave, he emptied his stomach all over his front and the man's forearm. Looking like he was about to have an apocalyptic fit, face and eyes darkening, the man threw him from him in disgust. ~

**Runaway train never coming back**

Terry continued to rock Lucas, whispering soothing nonsense words into the boy's ear, wishing he would wake. 'Damn you, Roger. Damn you to hell.'

~ At that time, a woman's voice rang through the room. "What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Get away, bitch, this isn't your concern."

"Not my concern?" She stormed into the room, face ablaze with fury and fear. "Get away from him." She pushed past him to kneel beside the boy. Grasping one of his arms, she helped him to his feet, steadying him. "Is this what you've been doing while I'm at work? You bastard. This is the last straw. You're not going to touch him again. We're leaving." She turned to go, pulling the boy with her.

The man grabbed her by the shoulder, spun her about, and slapped her face, pushing her across the room. "You aren't going anywhere. That little brat has cost me a lot of money, and he's going to fix the mistake he made." With one hand on the back of the boy's neck, he steered him back to the computer, roughly shoving him into the seat. "Now!" ~

**Runaway train tearing up the track**

The boy jerked in Terry's arms, a cry of protest falling from his lips.

~ The boy stared with wide eyes as the woman gave an inarticulate scream and leapt at the man. Her fingers scored long scratches across his brow and cheeks. With an oath, he grasped her wrists, pulling her off him. One hand held both her hands, the other began rhythmically pounding into her.

"No!" The boy grabbed up the keyboard and launched himself at the towering monstrosity.

Slamming it into the man's back, he broke his hold over the woman. She fell to the floor.

"Get up," he yelled. "Run!" He pulled her to her feet and the two stumbled out of the room. ~

**Runaway train burning in my veins**

"Shh, shh. You're okay, everything's fine. Shh, shh." Terry stroked Lucas' hair way from his sweat-dampened forehead.

~ They had neared the staircase when the boy felt a hand on the back of his shirt. He screamed as the man lifted him bodily into the air and sent him flying to crash against the wall. He watched in horror as the woman turned to confront the man only to be shoved violently backwards. She stumbled, trying to regain her balance, her arms pinwheeling in the air, but to no avail. With a shriek, she fell backwards, tumbling down the stairs. She landed at the bottom and was still, her head at an odd angle. The boy tried to yell, to scream his denial, but his own injuries made themselves felt, and unconsciousness claimed him. ~

**Runaway but it always seems the same.**

His breathing became more agitated, a keening quality entering his voice. Terry frowned, her own breath hitching in a sob. "Please wake up, Lucas. Please?"

~ He awoke with a start, heart racing, head and heart aching. He was still at the top of the stairs. The man was gone. Listening intently, he didn't detect any sounds at all. Painfully inching his way up to a sitting position, and then to a standing one, his face paled as he noticed the woman's body was gone as well. "No, oh no," he whispered, horrified. Frightened, and sure the man would return to kill him as well, the boy raced to his room, grabbed his money and beloved computer, and raced from the house as if the devil himself was after him. Because he was. ~

Lucas woke and stared into Terry's care-worn sleeping face. He shifted slightly and grimaced to himself when she slowly opened her eyes. Blue eyes met blue eyes, each mirroring the sadness and horror they felt. "You okay?" she asked softly.

He shook his head. "No." He inhaled shakily, and tried to regain control of his emotions.

She stroked the side of his face, a sad smile on her lips. "You're going to have to go to the police eventually, Lucas. The police are going to know you were involved, sooner or later." She waited, but received no response. Sighing, she laid out her last card. "He'll probably try to blame the hacking all on you, and call the death an accident. You have to go. She would have wanted you to see this through."

Lucas sighed. "You're right."

She flashed a grin at him. "Of course I'm right, I'm your older and much wiser sister. How could you expect anything else?"

As hoped, he flashed a tired smile in return, then turned serious again. "Will you come with me? I don't want to go alone."

"Of course. You didn't even have to ask." She paused again. "What are you going to do after this? You can stay with me, if you like."

He shook his head. "I don't think that would be such a good idea. You don't have much room, and you're boyfriend would be annoyed with a fourteen year old around." He sighed and ran a hand through his blonde hair. "I guess I'll go live with my dad."

Terry made a face. "He's awfully busy. Are you sure you don't want to stay here? I can always sleep on the couch."

"You'd get tired of that real quick, and so would I. No, dad's got the room, and he could use a bit of responsibility."

"If that's the way you want to do it."

"It is, but thanks."

"Just remember, I'm here for you, okay?"

Lucas nodded. The two stared solemnly at one another.

Terry sat up, deftly twisting her blonde hair into a knot at the nape of her neck and fondly ruffled his hair. "Come on, I'll make you breakfast. Then, we should go down to the station, see if they've arrested your step dad yet."

"I'm going to make sure he gets exactly what he deserves."

Terry looked determined as she slung her arm over his slender shoulders, mindful of his bruises. "Of course you are, and so am I, after all, you don't mess with family."

Lucas grinned at his sister and the two got ready to prepare for the day.

-finished January 4, 2000 


End file.
